16 Facts About Benzalkonium chloride

Benzalkonium chloride, known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and by the trade name Zephiran, is a type of cationic surfactant.

Benzalkonium chloride possesses surfactant properties, dissolving the lipid phase of the tear film and increasing drug penetration, making it a useful excipient, but at the risk of causing damage to the surface of the eye.

Benzalkonium chloride is a mainstay of phase-transfer catalysis, an important technology in the synthesis of organic compounds, including drugs.

Especially for its antimicrobial activity, benzalkonium chloride is an active ingredient in many consumer products:.

Benzalkonium chloride is used in many non-consumer processes and products, including as an active ingredient in surgical disinfection.

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The FDA has stated that benzalkonium chloride is eligible as an alternative for use in the formulation of healthcare personnel hand rubs.

Benzalkonium chloride has demonstrated persistent antimicrobial activity for up to four hours after contact whereas ethanol-based sanitizer demonstrate skin protection for only 10 minutes post-application.

Benzalkonium chloride is a frequently used preservative in eye drops; typical concentrations range from 0.

Benzalkonium chloride is an irritant to middle ear tissues at typically-used concentrations.

Benzalkonium chloride has been in common use as a pharmaceutical preservative and antimicrobial since the 1940s.

Benzalkonium chloride is a human skin and severe eye irritant.

Benzalkonium chloride solutions are fast-acting biocidal agents with a moderately long duration of action.

Benzalkonium chloride degradation follows consecutive debenzylation, dealkylation, and demethylation steps producing benzyl chloride, an alkyl dimethyl amine, dimethylamine, a long chain alkane, and ammonia.

Since stearalkonium Benzalkonium chloride is a type of BAC, the biodegradation process should happen in the same manner.

Benzalkonium chloride is classed as a Category III antiseptic active ingredient by the United States Food and Drug Administration .

Benzalkonium chloride was deferred from further rulemaking in the 2019 FDA Final Rule on safety and effectiveness of consumer hand sanitizers, "to allow for the ongoing study and submission of additional safety and effectiveness data necessary to make a determination" on whether it met these criteria for use in OTC hand sanitizers, but the agency indicated it did not intend to take action to remove benzalkonium chloride-based hand sanitizers from the market.